proposal that overhauls the tax system and entitlements at tate days from going over the fiscal cliff which is called the series of spending cuts and expiring tax breaks which would be an economic disaster. the sticking point is the call for higher taxes for families, higher taxes on amounts earned above $250,000. everyone gets the tax cut, the first $250,000 is not taxable only but that. the president says, look, i ran on this and i am going to do this. but he is signaling he could be flexible on how high they would go. ed henry is like. this has been out there for a few days. >>reporter: that right. the president had the governors in today and they underdiscover the fiscal cliff will not just impact the national economy but have a lot of impact on state and local economies, as well, and their state budgets, et cetera. the president, though, is standing firm. and jake carney saying unless the republicans give in on tax rates and raise the bush tax rates on the rich, there is no deal and the president is willing to go off the cliff. they hammered speaker boehner's proposal. >> we don'